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Prison review examines no-bid deals

JACKSON – A group reviewing Mississippi prison contracts could recommend changes requiring more accountability in how all state agencies purchase goods or hire people to provide services, members said after their first meeting Friday.

Republican Gov. Phil Bryant appointed a bipartisan, five-member task force to examine the Mississippi Department of Corrections' spending practices after former Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps and businessman Cecil McCrory were indicted last month on federal corruption charges. The two men have pleaded not guilty to charges they face. Authorities allege that McCrory gave Epps hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for Epps steering contracts, some of them without a bidding process, to companies connected to McCrory.

Members of the contract review task force received thick binders of financial documents.

"What we're going to do is try to review all the contracts that have been involved in this indictment and also all the other contracts for the Department of Corrections to see if we can change some of the practices, maybe close some of the loopholes that caused this big mess," said one of the members, former Attorney General Mike Moore.

He said the intent was to prevent something similar from happening in the future.

In a letter to the task force, Bryant asked members to determine whether contracts were awarded illegally under Epps, who was commissioner for 12 years.

"As you know, taxpayer money must be spent to serve the needs of the public, not to perpetuate ineffective contracts or enrich government officials," Bryant wrote.

Moore, a Democrat who was the state's top legal officer from 1988 to 2004, said members are paying close attention to contracts that are awarded without going through a bid process — a practice that could lead to sweetheart deals for contractors with connections.

Bryant told the group he would welcome recommendations that could improve spending practices for all state agencies.

The group's chairman, attorney Andy Taggart, said that in addition to reviewing contract procedures, the task force will help Bryant select a new corrections commissioner. A former deputy commissioner is serving as interim head of the department.

"I believe we have a responsibility to do what can be done … to help restore the confidence of taxpayers and policymakers and honest state employees," said Taggart, who was chief of staff for Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice from 1992 to 1994.